Pixbet Ban Upheld by Brazilian Court

A Brazilian court has rejected Pixbet’s request to overturn a nationwide suspension of its betting operations, leaving an earlier injunction in force. Judge Adílson Fabrício of the Court of Justice of Paraíba upheld the emergency order originally issued by the Juvenile Court of Campina Grande.

As a result, Pixbet must keep its services suspended across Brazil until it demonstrates that its platform includes effective age verification measures capable of preventing minors from accessing its services. The court specified that these safeguards should include facial recognition technology and liveness detection for user logins and financial transactions.

The ruling reflects the increasing emphasis on consumer protection and safeguarding minors within Brazil’s regulated online betting market.

Court Prioritizes Protection of Minors

The legal action was brought by Educafro Brasil together with the Padre Ezequiel Ramin Human Rights Center. The organizations argued that stronger technological safeguards are necessary to stop children and teenagers from accessing online betting platforms.

In his decision, Judge Fabrício referred to principles established under Brazil’s Federal Constitution and the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA), stating that protecting minors takes precedence over private commercial interests.

The court also stressed that online betting operators must implement highly reliable security systems to prevent underage gambling. According to the ruling, any weaknesses in these controls could leave minors exposed to gambling services.

Applying the precautionary principle, the judge concluded that the potential risk to children and adolescents justified immediate judicial action, even without evidence of actual harm.

Pixbet’s Appeal Rejected

In its appeal, Pixbet argued that it already complies with the technical standards established by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) under the Ministry of Finance, including the use of facial biometric verification.

The operator also claimed that the Juvenile Court of Campina Grande exceeded its authority by issuing a nationwide suspension despite gambling regulation falling under federal jurisdiction.

However, the appellate court rejected these arguments, ruling that because the alleged impact extends nationwide, the Juvenile Court had the authority to issue a decision with national effect under Article 93(II) of Brazil’s Consumer Protection Code.

Verification System Remains Under Scrutiny

The court further stated that the technical certifications presented by Pixbet did not sufficiently demonstrate that its verification system could completely prevent minors from accessing the platform.

For that reason, the judge found no legal basis to suspend the injunction while the case proceeds. The ruling noted that the appeal lacked sufficient grounds for success under the applicable provisions of Brazil’s Code of Civil Procedure.

The case remains ongoing and the nationwide suspension will stay in place until Pixbet satisfies the court that its age verification measures fully comply with the required standards for protecting minors.